Pressing element for garment-pressing machines



Feb. 24, 1931. A. J. HOFFMAN 1,794,112

VPRESSING' ELEMENT FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 16. 1927 LE-n z2 Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNrrED stares errar @Freilich ADON J'. HOFFIVAN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK Application filed August 16, 1927. Serial No. 213,390.

This invention relates to a pressing element for garment pressing machines in which the press-head and buck are elongated horizontally and the press-head is movable vertically about an anis parallel with the longitudinal center ci the buck, as commonly used in tailor shops, clothing establishments, laundries and similar places, for steaming, sterilizing, pressing and shaping the garment in substantially one continuous operation.

ln the installation of machines of this character in tailor shops and other-small places, is customary to provide. a smalll steam boiler having a gas-heater for converting the water intosteam for direct delivery to the press-head or'buclr for steaming vpurposes, thereby adding greatly to the initial cost of installation and expense of maintenance in addition to the inconveniences arising from excess heat and escape of steam through leakages or over-supply in the room in which the machine is located.

The main object of' the present invention is to reduce to a minimum the initial cost of installation and maintenance, and also to avoid as far as possible the inconveniences and unsanitary conditions arising from the escape oi' steam inlo the room by converting the water into steam wholly within the pressing element from which the steam or moist vapor is to be delivered to the garment.

One oi' the specific objects is to provide the pressing element with an electrically-heated chamber interposed between the moisturereceiving chamber and the steam distributing chamber in such manner that the walls of the heating chamber will convert the water into steun or vapor, and also superheat the steam or vapor as it is delivered or distributed to the garnicht, and thereby to accomplish two important results, viz: the reduction of the moisture content of the steam or vapor and the resultant quick drying of the garment immediately following the pressing operation.

Another object is to provide the distributing chamber with a flexible `foraminous press-plate, and to support said press-plate by resilient connections between the marginal-edges thereof, and-main body of the pressing element, so that during the pressing operation, the -steam or vapor partially entrapped in the distributing chamber willbe iiorced through the forainina or" the plaie to the garment the plate collapsed toward the main body by pressure upon said garment,

Si further object is to connect the distributing chamber to the moisture-receiving chan bery oy a suitable port, and to control the pauolZ the vapor from the receiving chamber to the distributing chamber by means ot a manually-operated valve.

Another object is to provide the pressure side oi' the heating chamber with 'an imperforate plate having channels in its presser-ace radiating `trom the port rto the marginal edges thereof to allow the steam or vapor to radiate from said port to all por-- tions of a flexible pressing plate when the latter is pressed toward or against the pressplate of the heating chamber.

ther objects and uses relating to the specilic use of the device will be brought out in the following description:

ln the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation oi a press-head s lb oi a garment pressing machine.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same head through the heating chamber showing the electric heating elements taken onthe plane oi line 2 2, Figure e.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional .view taken in the plan-e of line 3 3, Figure ll.

Figure l is an enlarged transverse vertical sevtional view taken in the plane of line Ll-l, Figure l. y

As illustrated, this press-head comprises ajhollow casting -lhaving a moisturereceiving chamber 2 and a heating chamber -3-, both extending longitudinally and laterally throughout substantially the entire area of the head, the heating chamber 3- being made in the form of a recess in the bottom of the casting -1-.

A presser-plate -4- is secured along its marginal edges tothe corresponding marginal edges of the casting -lby screws -5--, or equivalent fastening means, Whereby the plate lmay be removed when desired to facilitate the installation and removal of suitable electric-heating elements 6-.

A foraminous presser-plate 7 of flexible material is provided with marginal flanges -8- having their marginal edges shirred or otherwise securedv to a marginal flange -9- on the casting 1 to permit the removal and replacement of the plate -7- when desired, the flanges S- being of sufficient vertical height to support the plate -'T- in spaced relation to the plate -fl to form an intervening distributing chamber -10-, as shown in Figure 4.

Suitable means is provided for distending the flanges -8- and yieldingly holding the plate -7- in spaced relation to the plate -4-, said means consisting in this instance of a. longitudinally corrugated spring wire attached thereto at intervals by suitable fastening devices 12, as shown more clearly in Figure l.

The heating units ti-- are preferably `1 made in the form of cartridges removably inserted in the heating-chamber 3-, and normally held in operative position between the plate -4- and the dividing partition, as 1 between the chambers 2 and -3-. lf desired, a thin lining 13 of asbestos or equivalent material may be applied to the lower surface of the partition 1 adjacent the heating element -6 to expedite the initial heating of the plate Llwhilel permitting'the transfer' of heat to the plate -1- to a degree suflicient to vaporize the moisture in the chamber -2-.

The partition 1 is provided with a substantially central hollow boss 14 extending therefrom toward the plate 'lrand threaded internally for receiving a tubular bushing 15, which together with the boss 14 constitutes a port 16 connecting the moisturereceiving chamber 2- with the distributing chamber 10. Y

The bushing extends into a central open ing 17 in the plate fl, and is provided with a tapered valve-seat 18 adapted to be engaged by a tapered valve rQ19-, preferably for the self-closing type, adaptedy to open toward the distributing chamber -10-. The valve -19- is provided with a stem 20- extending through a suitable gland m21 in the outer wall of the chamber -2- and adapted to be engaged'by a handlever 224 which is pivot'ed at 23; to a portion of the gland V--21'-, as shown in Figure Il.

A spring -24- is mounted in a suitable chamber in the gland w21-f to engageone end of said chamber, and a shoulder #-25- on the stem for yield-ingly holding the valve -19 in closed position", andv permitting it to be ojfbe'ned Adepression of `the hand.- le'ver i flexible prose-plate -7- is provided With channels -26- radiating from the adjacent end of the port #16- to yarious portions of the marginal edges of said plate to allow the distribution of the steam or vapor throughout practically the entire area. of the distributing chamber lO- even when the press-plate -7- is pressed against the adjacent side of the plate -4-, resulting in a uniform distribution of the vapor or steam over the entire area of the garment covered by the flexible prcsser-plate'-7-.

This presser-plate -7- is preferably laminated, and comprises an inner layer 27'- of Woven wire fabric, and an outer layer -28- of cloth fabricV resting one against the other, the flanges -8- forming extensions of the cloth' fabric -28- so that when theL marginal edges of said flanges are attached to the flanges -SI- ofthe casting 1-, a pocket is formed for receiving and retaining the woven Wire fabric layer *27min operative position.

The heating chamber extends across the entire area of and: beneath the moisture receiving chamber -2-, While the distributing chamber 10; extends across; the entire area of and beneath the heating chamber. The heating chamber therefore lies between the moisture-receiving chamber -2- and the distributing chamber -10- and serves to vaporize the moisture in the chamber -2- and, when the valve 19 is opened to permit the passage of the steam or vapor from the' chamber Q into the distributing chamber -10-, Ialso serves to superheat the steam or vapor inthe distributing chamber, and thereby to reduce the moisture content of the steam applied tothe garment for expediting the drying of the garment immediately following the pressing operation.

rl`he moistureereceiving chamber Q- may be connected to any available source of water supply through the medium of a pipe -29- connected to an inlet -30- prefer ably in the rear side of the casting -1-, as shown in Figure Ll. rfhe pipe 29may be provided With any suitable valve, not shown7 adapted to be lopened only vwhen the valve 19' is closed and' then just long enough to permit a small quantity of the water to' pass into the chamber '2 for instant conversion into steam by the underlying heated wal-l 1. If, however, any slight amount of water should be present in the` port 16 when the valve 19 is opened it would be sprayed into the distributing chamber 1:0 by reason of the tapered form of the valve and underlying screen 31 Without detriment to the garment.

A metallic screen -31-1- is secured to the 'plate' 'across the adjacent end of the 'port or between, the valve -lSl-e and flexibleV 'plate --73-+ to cooperate with the valve 'in breaking rip-or ateniizing the met tened vapor, as it passes from the chamber 2* to the distributing chamber -'-l0-.

As previously stated the flexible 'lorauiinous press plate -7- is yieldingly held in spaced relation to the lower *tace of the overlying plate -Llto form the steam-distributing ruanibcr -l0- so that during the pressing operation the steam or vapor partially entrapped in said chamber will be forced through the foraminous plate --7- as the latter yields toward the plate -lby pressure upon the garment thereby increasing the force of discharge oit the steam into the surface of the garment somewhat in proportion to the pressure for moistening purposes.

I claim:

l. In a garment pressing machine, a presshead having lower, upper and intermediate chambers and an enclosed port extending through the lower and upper walls of and across the intermediate chamber and connecting the lower and upper chambers, the lower chamber having a oraminous bottom wall, a valve normally closing said port, means Jfor supplying moisture to the upper chamber, means operable at will for opening said valve, and means within the intermediate chamber for heating the upper and lower walls thereof for vaporizing the moisture in the upper chamber and vtor superheating the vapor in the lower chamber.

2. In a garment pressing machine, a presshead having lower, upper and intermediate chambers approximately coeXtensive with the length and breadth of the adjacent portions or' the head, said head having an enclosed port extending through the lower and upper walls of and across the intermediate chamber and connecting the lower and upper chambers, a valve controlling said port and normally closing the same, and means operable at will :tor opening the valve.

3. In a garment pressing machine, a presshead having lower, upper and intermediate chambers approximately coeXtensive with the length and breadth of the adjacent portions of the head, said head having an enclosed port extending through the lower and upper walls of and across the intermediate chamber and connecting the lower and upper chambers, a valve controlling said port and normally closing the same, means operable at will t'or opening the valve, means within the intermediate chamber for heating the walls thereof, means for conducting liquid into the upper chamber ttor conversion into vapor to be discharged into the lower chamber when the valve is opened, the outer wall of the lower chamber being toraminous to permit the escape of vapor therethrough.

el. In a garment pressing machine, a press head having a steam distributing chamber provided with a relatively rigid top Wall and a flexible oraminous bottom wall, the top wall being provided with a steam inlet port in opposed relation to the bottom wall, avalve controlling said port, and resilientr connections between the marginal edges ot the foraminous bottom wall and overlying portions of the press head and tensioned to normally hold the bottom wall in spaced relation to the top wall and to permit said bottom wall to move toward the top wall when engaged with the garment under pressure for expelling the steam from the distributing chamber through the oraminous bottom wall when the valve is closed.

5. In a garment pressing machine, a press head having a steam distributing chamber provided with a relatively rigid top wall and a. iiexible foraminous bottom wall, the top wall being provided with a steam inlet port in opposed relation to the bottom wall, a valve controlling said port, and resilient connections between the marginal edges of the oraminous bottom wall and overlying portions of the press head and tensioned to normally hold the bottom wall in spaced relation to the top wall and topermit said bottom wall to move toward the top wall when engaged with the garment under pressure for expelling the steam from the distributing chamber through the oraminous bottom wall when the valve is closed, said top wall being provided with channels in its underside radiating in different directions rom said port to facilitate the spreading out of the steam into said chamber when the valve is opened.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of August, 1927i.

ADON J. HOFFMAN. 

